1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for raising a patient's upper body or torso off the surface of an underlying support so that a chest board may be inserted between the back of the patient and the underlying support. More particularly, with the patient's back against the underlying support surface, a combination adjustable belt and attached shoulder strap is fitted around the patient's upper body, encircling the torso and arms. The shoulder strap, coming from the belt and up along the patient's back and over a shoulder, provides a leverage means for easily raising the upper body off the underlying surface.
2. Description of the Background Art
Traditionally, to insert a chest board (an essentially rigid board that aids in insulating a patient from a supporting surface and provides a firm platform on which to perform CPR or similar procedures to the patient's exposed chest area) between a patient's back and an underlying supporting surface required an unsuitable and often dangerous amount of critical time. A medical staff member needed to grasp the patient and often struggle (especially if the patient was heavy and the staff member physically small) to lift the patient and then push the board into position. No suitable mechanical aids were available to assist the staff member in this difficult lifting and positioning process. Various harness devices exist for restraining or moving a person, but these prior art devices require ready access to the wearer's back region for fitting and usually demand the wearer's arms fit through small opening, neither of which are practical for a critically ill and possibly heavy patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,711,864 discloses an harness for guiding and restraining children. This harness requires a fitting for a particular child and fastens across the back region of the child.
Related in U.S. Pat. No. 2,212,746 is a safety harness for children which, like '864 above, fastens in the back region of a child. This device is used to restrain a child and may be secured to holding objects in various ways.
An additional child restraining device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,304. Like the two harnesses above, '864 and '746, this restrainer fits over the shoulders of a child, with the child's arms fitted through encircling straps, and is engineered to prevent forward motion of the child. Lifting the restraining strap vertically up would result in the waste bands coming free.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,900,976 presents devices adapted for assisting paralyzed or hemiplegic persons. A limb is encircled by a band or sling and is leveraged into various positions by a flexible cord fastened to an handle and assisted by a pulley mechanism.
A device for instructing a person to swim is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,541. A loop harness fits around the arms of the person learning to swim. A resilient handle piece is fitted to the harness to permit an instructor to hold a potential swimmer in a proper position for swimming. As with the harnesses above, '864, '746, and '304, there must be ready access to the wearer's back area for fitting the wearer with the device.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,769 is a safety belt or harness for children to be used when a child is riding in a moving vehicle. A leash runs from a seat anchor to the back of a harness that is looped over the child's arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,107 presents a lap cover and restrainer that incorporates, as the lap cover, a bag-like enclosure that fits over a user's legs. For securing the user within the bag-like enclosure and to a supporting wheelchair, straps are associated with the bag. An upper body harness runs from the top of the bag-like enclosure and over a user's shoulder's and is anchored to the handle grips of the wheelchair.
An ambulatory support and guide strap is delineated is in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,013. The device is positioned about the midsection of a wearer and is basically an adjustable belt with a pair of closely fitted handles. An attendant, standing behind the wearer, would grab the handles and assist the wearer by giving additional support and guidance during movement.
A device for manipulating a bedridden patient is revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,925. A flexible pliant sheet with tie straps and handles is fitted under a patient and is employed to turn the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,008 discloses both a method of transferring a patient and mats used in the process. Two elongated transfer mats, each having a strap and an handle at each end, are fitted, without moving the patient, under the patient's shoulders and buttocks. The straps are secured from the mats, over the patient and the handles used to lift, pull, or turn the patient.